Juwan Johnson waited until overtime to deliver the catch that changed New Orleans’ season. The Saints tight end hauled in Tyler Shough’s 15-yard touchdown pass with 4:17 left in overtime, lifting New Orleans past Cleveland 23-22 in the Superdome. The Saints entered at 2-5, needing a spark after a difficult start. The Browns arrived 5-3 and wanted to prove their rough loss to Pittsburgh was only one bad chapter. Instead, both teams wrote a wild story that was not settled until Cleveland’s final two-point try fell short.

New Orleans grabbed the early lead with a long, tough drive powered by Audric Estime’s running. Shough hit Johnson for 19 yards to set up a short field goal and a 3-0 Saints lead. Cleveland’s defense then helped keep the game tight. After Shough drove the Saints near the goal line, rookie receiver Jordyn Tyson caught a pass at the 2 but lost the ball. A Browns defender recovered it at the 1, erasing New Orleans’ best early chance.

Shedeur Sanders began to find a rhythm in the second quarter. He connected with Dylan Sampson for 16 yards and Harold Fannin Jr. on a key conversion before Cleveland settled for a tying field goal. The Browns then recovered a fumble on a Saints punt return and pushed to the 1-yard line. Yet New Orleans’ defense stood firm, stopping two short runs and keeping the score tied 3-3 at halftime.

The Browns broke through after halftime when Sanders found Denzel Boston for a 60-yard rocket down to the 3. Cleveland again had trouble finishing near the goal line, but a field goal gave it a 6-3 lead. Shough answered with his legs and his arm, guiding a long drive that ended with another field goal, 6-6.

The fourth quarter turned into a race against the clock. New Orleans kicker Charlie Smyth drilled a 48-yard field goal for a 9-6 lead with 5:38 left. Three plays later, Sanders hit KC Concepcion on a 64-yard touchdown strike. Cleveland was suddenly ahead 13-9, and its young quarterback had created the game’s biggest play.

But Shough and the Saints refused to fade. With 1:16 remaining, Shough found Chris Olave for 33 yards to the Cleveland 10. Olave finished with seven catches for 98 yards, repeatedly giving Shough a path forward. Estime crashed in from 2 yards out with 58 seconds left, putting New Orleans ahead 16-13. Sanders calmly answered by finding Jerry Jeudy twice to set up a 51-yard field goal at the buzzer, forcing overtime.

In overtime, Shough used Olave, Alvin Kamara and Devaughn Vele to move the Saints downfield before Johnson’s winning touchdown. Sanders answered with a 39-yard touchdown to Fannin, but Cleveland could not complete the tying conversion. The Saints moved to 3-5 and carry this hard-earned resilience into their next game against Carolina. Cleveland fell to 5-4 and heads to Houston knowing Sanders’ 297 passing yards and two touchdowns showed real fight, even in a painful finish.

Juwan Johnson Finishes Saints’ Overtime Escape From Cleveland